Severe struvite urolithiasis in Saanen kids in a flock

Abstract

The owner of a goat flock admitted to our clinic with three intact male Saanen kids (3 months of age) with the complaints of stranguria, anuria, and colic. One kid was totally anuric, the other two was dribbling little urine. Anuric kid was dead shortly after submission. One of the other two kids was dead 4 hours after submission to our clinic and a necropsy was performed on both kids. Several urolithiasis extracted from the cortex, pelvis of kidneys, ureters and bladders. After necropsy, urolith samples were subjected for analysis and reported as struvite.

Then, the farm was visited and urine was collected from all kids (n=23) and 15 of them was positive for struvite urolithiasis according sediment examination. Vitamin C (20 mg/kg) as powder was prescribed for four weeks and correction of the ration and gradually increasing the salt content of ration to % 4 was adviced. Four weeks later no struvite crystals were seen microscopically.

Correction of ration and use of Vitamin C resulted in dissoluation of struvite crystals and prevented the further occurrence of urolithisis. Vitamin C can be used as a safe urine acidifier in kids.

Keywords

• Struvite urolithiasis,Kids,Ration

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